Appearance:

Tentacles with stinging cells hang from the bell. The stinging cells are called nematocysts.

Sea nettles have a smooth, milky white bell that grows to about 4 inches in diameter. Up to 24 tentacles hang from under the bell.

The moon jellyfish is the Bay’s largest jellyfish. It can grow 10-12 inches in diameter. Hundreds of short tentacles hang like fringe from the bell’s edge.

The lion’s mane jellyfish has a broad, flattened bell and eight clusters of short tentacles. The bell is usually orange-brown and grows to about the same size as the sea nettle.

Habitat:

Found throughout brackish and salty waters, including shallow waters, open waters and tidal rivers

Range:

Sea nettles are abundant in May-October as far north as the Chesapeake Bay Bridge

Moon jellyfish visit the lower Chesapeake Bay in summer

Lion’s mane jellyfish are common in the Bay in late November-March

Feeding:

Sea nettles and lion’s mane jellyfish prey upon fish, shrimp, comb jellies and other small creatures

Use their stinging tentacles to entangle, paralyze and capture their prey. Each stinging cell is like a barb that injects venom into its prey. Jellyfish then use their tentacles to move the food into their mouth, which is located under the center of the bell.